The Mournful Soldier
by nun outfits are cool
Summary: There is so much angst and woe at Hogwarts school. Ginny Weasley resolves to stop this, but gets her own feelings confused.


**The Mournful Soldier**

**Authors Note: This is set _after _any war thing with Voldemort. The side of light has won and everyone is back at school. :) Isn't that nice? I've ignored everything after the fifth book, and Harry Potter's sixth year didn't happen as JK Rowling wrote it. Instead, war broke out at the end of it… This is my first one-shot, so be nice, and tell me what you think at the end.**

**I've had some beta trouble, so that's why it took so long for the cookie I posted on the forums to come here, but thanks to my PI beta, Naycit, CharmedLife19, who offered, and might even have edited it, but my email account has a tendency to eat certain things... Thank you very much to Persephone33, who read it, and said she liked it, which boosted _my_ ego, never mind Harry's... in-text notes are the best... :)**

**Disclaimer: Anything or anyone that you recognise is not mine; they are the creations of JK Rowling…**

It was about a month after the Final Battle (which now deserved its capital letters), and people had begun to speak about it reverently, in hushed tones. Outside the entrance to Hogwarts, Harry Potter stood, staring moodily into the distance. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and whirled around, pinning Ginny Weasley to the wall behind him. She stared up at him with wide, sympathetic eyes, silently questioning him. He gave her one long, meaningful look and turned away again, resuming his moody staring.

Ginny saw so much pain in his face, it hurt to look. The Battle had taken too much out of him, and it wasn't fair. She had been there herself and had seen how watching the people that he loved die had affected him. To know that he was suffering still was unbearable. It wasn't right that, on top of all his previous miseries, the deaths of other Order members were added to his guilt.

She wandered back to the Gryffindor common room, her mind filled with thoughts of Harry. On her way, she met Draco Malfoy, who greeted her with an amused look and a raised eyebrow.

"Been talking to Potter?"

All of Draco's affectionate nicknames for Harry: 'Scar-head', 'Potty', 'Pot-Head', 'That Slimy Toad', 'The Git'… had all been seriously underused since a few days after his father's murder in Azkaban, during the War. Draco had come to the Order with his mother, offering information and his wand in battle. He had taken to ignoring Harry as much as possible, but chatted happily with other uncomfortable Order members, who had been expecting a Sirius Black-esque performance from their latest reformed criminal of sorts (lots of moping, grunting and scowling involved). He talked to Ginny the most, as she was the only person close in age who would talk back.

Their conversations were mainly oriented around philosophy and Quidditch. His view of House Elf labour was challenged actively, and her preference of the Wronskei Feint over the Turner Twist was unacceptable. They had somehow formed an unspoken agreement, a friendship, of sorts. It was held together mainly by the fact that neither really had anyone else to talk to. Ron had turned up his nose and refused to acknowledge 'The Ferret's' existence, except to insult him. Hermione bustled importantly around him, giving him sympathetic smiles but always appearing too busy to talk, and Harry would scowl angrily whenever he was in the room; he wouldn't even _stoop_ to abuse him Draco to his face. The Trio were often too consumed in their mutual quest to pay much attention to Ginny, though she did receive the same sympathetic smiles from Hermione, and when talking to Draco, the same scowls from Harry.

At some point during their time trapped in the same miserable house, the two became close. Neither knew quite how it had happened, and they didn't discuss it, as any armistice between them was unspoken, and could only be questioned if it was recognised. While the Trio became increasingly reclusive and paused only to offer glares of disapproval, Draco found ways to make Ginny laugh, and she found methods of making him question his morals. They trained hard, out of the way of others, and when the night of the Final Battle came, Ginny earned the approval of all Order members except Molly and Ron Weasley, who both furiously argued that Ginny was far too young and innocent to handle the 'intense psychological stress' that came with fighting nasty Death Eaters. Draco earned the approval of the people he hadn't tortured at Hogwarts, and as well as Hermione, who was proud that_ 'he had overcome his horrific upbringing to become someone worth knowing._'

When Harry Potter was finished fighting Dark wizards, the The battle Battle and the The War were won. Ginny was dragged by an enthusiastic Trio to a three-day celebration. Draco had been no where to be seen, and the next time they met, they were back in school, and the signs of a their bizarre friendship were few and far between.

After the War, Draco had regained much of his Slytherin posse. Outside the confines of Order walls, it was accepted that Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson were not _Evil People_, though a couple of them were a tad distasteful. They were all allowed back into Hogwarts, on the condition that they were not to do anything too sneaky, which might unnerve impressionable students. The group stuck to Draco, and he was seldom seen without a couple of them hanging off his every word. Slytherins from younger years wouldn't dare to be so open in their admiration, but he often retained a select shadow of them hovering over him. Today, however, he was completely unaccompanied. It was probably their first time alone since the War. She had guessed he didn't need her friendship now that he had his old gang back. Ginny nodded gravely to communicate the epiphany that had been her conversation with Harry, and, trying to feel something of their old familiarity, told him of her concerns for Harry's Mental Health.

He paused and said nothing for a minute, and then an excited glint emerged in his eyes. Before Ginny could spot it, it was gone, and he shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

"Sorry, can't help you. I'll see you in Defence tomorrow." He walked off, bouncing lightly.

The War had started at the end of Draco's sixth year, and he, Ginny and many others had been taken out of school. The War had lasted for just over a year and now many wanted to finish their education and take their NEWTs, so they were taking their Seventh Year late. Ginny had kept up with her year throughout the The War, thanks to Hermione's and Draco's old notes (Ron and Harry had offered theirs too, but Ron's writing was appalling, and Harry's notes were incomplete, due to _heroic difficulties_ during that year). Now, she was taking classes with Harry, Ron, Hermione and sometimes Draco. Harry hadn't been the same since the War had ended, and during lessons he sat between his own impenetrable barrier in Ron and Hermione, while Ginny sat with her own friends. She hadn't seen the misery in his eyes until today, though. It had shocked her and she knew she had to do something about it. In the past she had comforted Harry when he was dejected, and she was sure she could help again. Her friend needed support, and she was more than willing to give it.

In the week that followed, Ginny found her time completely consumed with Harry and his troubles. She had cornered him later that day and made him talk to her. Their progress together was amazing. Though she had expected some reluctance, Harry had really opened up. He would take her to the Room of Requirement and talk for hours. Ginny listened carefully and her heart wept for him. He had known so much unhappiness in his life; she wanted to take some of the pain for him. Harry talked of his childhood with the Muggles, dwelling on his unjust treatment with warmth. Ginny was horrified; they made him sleep in a _cupboard_. He spoke of his relationship with the spiders _in_ the cupboard, and she couldn't help but think of Ron. Could he, or anyone else have withstood such hardship? As she doubted that, she felt assurance in one thing, at least; Harry would always have her to talk to. She told him that and felt instantly fulfilled with the grateful smile he gave her. They sat together in classes, and the teachers smiled down at the pair of miniature War Heroes affectionately.

Ron and Hermione looked on at Harry and Ginny ; as if they were perfectly sure of what was going towould happen next. Hermione thought it was the best thing that could happen to either of them; it would give Ginny a real place in the group, as she couldn't just be clever, red haired, and good at Quidditch. She could be Harry's girlfriend, and they would have a double wedding, and live in houses next door to each other. Ron was happy that Hermione was happy, and though it did mean Ginny would be dating someone, he could keep a close eye on her. For a while, during the The War, the three of them had seen her and Malfoy spending far too much time together. Harry, especially, had grown very touchy on the subject, and they were all relieved when he Draco went back to his Slytherin pals and Ginny remembered her fellow Gryffindors. By the time Harry had detailed his many woes to her, they knew she would love him forever.

Meanwhile, Draco had been spotted staring into the depths of the lake fixedly, without the company of his fellow Slytherins. He wandered the halls of Hogwarts aimlessly, and people were beginning to talk.

Ginny sat next to Harry at the Gryffindor table, while he talked animatedly about the grief he felt after Cedric Diggory and Sirius Black had died.

"I just wish I could give them back their lives." He paused for effect. "But I can't." Watching him stab angrily at his breakfast, Ginny couldn't quite muster the feelings of pity she had felt a week before. It _wasn't_ right that Harry blamed himself, but he refused to see that. She made some kind of sympathetic noise and he smiled at her. "Oh, Ginny. You're the only one who understands me. I'm so much happier now that I have you to talk with."

She felt ever so slightly sickened by his words.. The whole Cheering Harry Up project really wasn't meant to go this far, and his devotion was unnerving. She searched the hall Hall for something to reply with. More often than not, her eyes flitted to the Slytherin table, but none of her indiscriminate glances came up with what she was looking for. Surprisingly, there was no silver-haired person to come to _her_ aid, as he had before. She hadn't been able to see Draco the whole week, actually. It was disappointing and somewhat unsettling; even when he had been with his friends he had always managed to give her a smile, or a nod. And if she missed that, she missed regular contact with him even more. He could always make her laugh if she was sad, even when he was sarcastic, his presence cheered her. After not seeing him at the celebration, she was sure he didn't want to spend his time with a bunch of Gryffindors any more, but with every sign of recognition she allowed herself to hope that he wanted to be friends again.

Her Ssearch over, she gave Harry a sickly sweet smile and continued eating her cornflakes, not quite believing that she was eating quickly so she could walk to Potions on her own. _Draco took Potions_, she thought, half absently, as she stood up to leave.

In the manner of a puppy of some sort, Harry took her hand, which she just resisted tugging back. They walked slowly to Potions together, so when they arrived, Snape was able to hand them both detentions with a cruel smirk. Snape had managed to refrain from simpering over Hogwarts' _adorable_ new couple, and took great pleasure in punishing them in any way possible, for appearing to be so happy with each other.

Snape also separated the two, remarking coldly that he wouldn't want them to distract each other. Harry treated Ginny to a long-suffering grimace and went to sit by Ron. Ginny, to everyone's confusion, and Harry's annoyance, went to sit by Seamus Finnegan, and not Hermione, the more apparent choice as the best friend of her 'boyfriend'.

For the whole lesson, Ginny forgot Harry's problems, as she laughed with Seamus. A quick glance at the Slytherin side of the classroom proved that Draco _was_ alive, but he didn't turn around, and she did a very good job of forgetting the morning's concern as Seamus' potion exploded, covering them both with nasty-smelling goo. They left the room, laughing, after Snape sent them to the Infirmary in disgust.

After being shooed away by Madame Pomfrey, Seamus walked Ginny to Charms, still laughing about his apparent lack of aptitude for Potions. None of the Trio took Charms, though Hermione would borrow Ginny's textbooks occasionally, and smile superiorly at all the spells she had already mastered. Her Ginny's relaxing morning was followed by a relaxing afternoon, as Ginny she studied DADA with Colin Creevey.

Because they had decided to skip lunch in the Great Hall, neither was prepared for the scene that awaited them there at dinner. As they approached the Gryffindor table, Seamus came into view, being held at fork-point by Harry. Ginny left Colin where he was and crept forward curiously, unnoticed by the staring crowd. As she drew nearer, she heard what was being said.

"I have _no idea _what happened to her, Harry. We didn't do anything wrong!" Seamus was protesting.

"_You_ shouldn't be doing _anything _with my girlfriend," Harry growled, thrusting the fork menacingly.

Ginny couldn't stop herself from gasping, drawing the attention of the surrounding Gryffindors.

Mutterings began, with those who had been present in the Potions lesson detailing wildly exaggerated tales of their Saviour's girlfriend rushing to the arms of _Seamus Finnegan_ at the first opportunity.

Ginny heard very little of this, as she stepped out of the crowd, in front of Seamus.

"I'm not your girlfriend, Harry."

The crowd gasped collectively while Harry stared at her.

"Yes you are."

Ginny frowned in annoyance. "When did I agree to that?"

Hermione took this opportunity to emerge from behind the trembling Seamus, who was still being threatened (Ron having taken over fork-pointing responsibility).

"Honestly, Harry. You didn't even ask her out yet?"

Harry merely looked blank and Hermione turned to Ginny. "Honestly. Boys, huh?"

Giving Harry a meaningful look, Hermione took Ginny's arm and lead her away from the crowd, and to Ginny's more immediate displeasure, away from food, babbling as she went.

"… In in front of the whole class, blew up at Snape… earned himself another detention, the idiot." She turned to Ginny, as if expecting some defence of Harry's behaviour. Though none was offered, she excused Harry anyway. "Of course, the poor lamb _is_ madly in love with you."

Ginny's mouth opened as if to speak, but no sound came out.

"… We would completely understand if you need some time before you say yes to Harry. He is a bit slow at romance, but I'm sure he'll come around. I've been reading up on this sort of thing, and I just _know _everything will work out. You two make such an adorable couple. Ron and I are so happy for you…"

Ginny managed to splutter. "_Ron_ is okay with this?"

Hermione smirked at Ginny, twisting her face very unattractively. "Is that why you were avoiding Harry at lunch? Were you protecting him from _Ron_?"

She burst out into tears of laughter at Ginny's apparent naïveté. Ginny's face fell as comprehension dawned on her. That was why Colin had been acting strangely, and Snape had been nastier than usual. They all thought she was _dating Harry Potter_. What if… the _whole _school might think that? Draco might… No… Draco couldn't care less _what_ she did.

"No, no, Ron had some ridiculous idea you wanted to date _Malfoy_. He was relieved when you returned to your normal state of mind."

Ginny laughed pathetically. They had reached the Gryffindor common room, and Hermione smiled patronizingly at her. "You'll be wanting a good night's rest after all that excitement." Hermione turned back towards the Portrait Hole, so that _she _could go back downstairs and eat.

Out of sight, Ginny half-heartedly raised one eyebrow. Her stomach rumbled, but she didn't think she could bear to face anyone just yet. She climbed the stairs to the girls' dormitory, so that she could feign sleep while the other girls talked of the events at dinner.

Breakfast the next morning came sooner than it should have, in Ginny's opinion. She ignored the various poor insinuations, innuendos and allusions made by unwitting fellow Gryffindors, and headed down to the Great Hall, to face the fork-wielding maniac.

Sure enough, The-Boy-Who-Attacked-Unsuspecting-Irish-People was sitting at the breakfast table when she arrived. He leapt up with a broad grin on his face.

"GinnywillyougotoHogsmeadewithme?" It came out in a rush, but, unfortunately, Ginny was pretty sure of what he had said.

"Harry…"

But Harry continued, reciting a speech obviously written by Hermione, who had been studying romantic novels, owned a thesaurus, and was a master on the subject of romance.

"I mean… Ginny, you have meant an indescribable amount to me for an extremely long time. I am nothing without you. It is my dearest wish that you would do me the very great honour of being the girl who will stand by me through all my trials, comfort me when aspiring Rita Skeeters are nasty, and who will make me the happiest person in Hogwarts. Will you go out with me?"

"I…" Ginny didn't know quite what to say to that, as she hadn't been in the business of practicing wordy rejection speeches. She couldn't say yes, could she? It _would _mean that Harry might stop blaming himself for what happened in the war, but, she could never…

Just as Harry's broad grin had started to slacken, a Hufflepuff second year burst into the Great Hall.

"Draco Malfoy has tried to drown himself in the lake!"

Ginny paled visibly. Harry put a hand on her arm. "What a stupid thing to do. You know _I_ would never do anything like that, right, Ginny? Is that why you're upset? I would _never_ do that to you." He smiled reassuringly at her, trying to wipe the look of horror from her face.

Ginny wasn't listening to what Harry was saying. When she felt she had enough strength to move without collapsing, she pushed his hand away and ran out of the Great Hall, towards the lake.

She stumbled as she reached the lake, and any illusions of finding his dripping, wet body there for her to cry over evaporated. She kicked at a wet patch on the ground. Why hadn't she seen anything coming? Why was he so unhappy? Tears trickled down her face, and she shook a comforting hand off her shoulder, thinking it was Harry.

When the comforting hand returned, she turned to face her assailant angrily. "Leave me alo…"

She stared into the dark eyes of Blaise Zabini.

"He's not here."

"I can see that."

"Go and visit him then, little Gryffindor."

"Would he mind?" she asked cautiously, aware that this was her first conversation with Zabini.

He laughed and walked away. Trying not to think of what that meant, she strode to the Infirmary as confidently as she possibly could, faced with the prospect of a room full of hostile Slytherins.

After ignoring Madame Pomfrey's scrutinizing look, she went over to a remarkably scarce bedside. Ginny had imagined that at least Pansy Parkinson would be at hand to weep, but there was no one else there. She sat slowly in the chair by his bed and looked at his face. He was paler than when she last saw him, but he was breathing reassuringly, chest rising and falling rhythmically. She reached over to tuck his hair behind his ears, something she knew he would never allow had he been conscious. Comforted that he was still living, she hurried to leave before he woke up, because then she was sure she would say something stupid.

Before she could make her escape, however, she felt a hand grab her wrist. The other one reached around and covered her mouth, so that she couldn't scream. She was spun back onto the bed, landing heavily on Draco. He awoke with a start.

Ginny stood up, twisting her hands sheepishly. "Sorry, there was…" Not having the words to explain that, for reasons unknown, an unidentified person had shoved her onto his bed, she trailed off. Draco gave her a searching look and turned to the wall. Without warning, anger rushed through her. He'd been an idiot, and he wasn't even going to explain why. There was no_ possible_ reason to do what he did to her.

Unfortunately for him, Draco did not notice the glares that were burning his back, so when he turned, he expected nothing worse than a reproachful look. What he got was a slap in the face.

"What the _hell_?"

Gathering his senses, he looked at her sorrowfully. "I have so much woe."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Bollocks. Why are you such an insensitive prat?"

He gaped at her. "You…"

"You could have _died_. Why on Earth would you have done something like that?" 

"Well what else was I _supposed_ to do to solve anything?"

"What problems could you _possibly_ have which that throwing yourself into the lake could solve?"

He glared at her. "Got you away from _Potter_, didn't it?"

It was Ginny's turn to gape.

Draco collected himself, and sat up in the bed. "You have a saving people problem. That's why you haven't been seen away from Potter's side this past week, and why you haven't told him to leave you alone, though you clearly want to. Even though he's listening to everything Granger tells him about romance, he's not fixed yet, is he? You care far too much about other people's hardships. I knew the only way you'd talk to me was if I had a _difficulty_ of some sort for you to obsess over. I merely chose a more dramatic route than scar-facehead."

"You…"

"…I mean, if _Potter _is allowed to exploit your idiotic Gryffindor trust, then so am I."

Strangely, comprehension dawned on Ginny. She opened her mouth, trying to find words.

Draco knew that she knew what he knew. He also knew that as she now knew what he had known for a while, there would doubtless be much Gryffindor style hand-wringing and conscience consulting that he didn't really want to deal with. He decided to make the decision easy for her.

Ginny was beginning to consult her conscience when Draco tugged her back onto the bed and kissed her. The kiss was gentle at first, but it became insistent, demanding. It felt _right_, more so than comforting Harry, or tolerating Hermione, or any other Good Deed she could think of. Coherent thought ceased, and she returned the kiss fervently. When Draco pulled away, she clutched at his hospital gown. He smirked at her.

"So. How about saving one more unfortunate soul?"

Soul saving was agreed upon, and, aside from most of the stunned population of Hogwarts, it was understood that Draco Malfoy needed Ginny's help even more than Harry Potter. Blaise Zabini comforted the distraught Pansy Parkinson when she discovered that Draco had drenched his designer robes for a _Weasley_, and Hermione Granger made adjustments to her wedding plan. Harry Potter distributed distraught and angry looks to all who would notice, but as Ginny did not, and so he found himself a girlfriend more receptive to his dramatic qualities. Ginny decided to leave sympathetic nodding to more qualified people, as Draco continued to keep her from her quests through kisses. The Hufflepuff second year who had burst into the Great Hall was able to buy his family extremely extravagant Christmas presents that year, with the 100 Galleons a certain Slytherin had paid him to make it very clear who had intentions of drowning himself in the lake… .

The End


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